


Vacant Princess

by EHeartAngel



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Angst and Romance, F/M, Forbidden Love, Mafia AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 18:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16100891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EHeartAngel/pseuds/EHeartAngel
Summary: She's the Dragon Princess, a famous assassin for the powerful mafia, The Dragons. He's a Cop looking to clean up the streets and bring them to justice. Yet, they find love despite their clashing worlds. Can they find happiness together?





	1. Invite Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a play on my Cop Au on tumblr. This is Shiori stayed in the mafia but Iba’s still a cop AU, or Mafia AU for short lol.  
> This first chapter was in response to a prompt given by @resshiiram on tumblr. Prompt was: "Invite me."

Iba stared at the man that landed by his feet after he took a few steps back. He had been on his way over to the girl that was yelling at a man for groping her, but it seemed like she could handle herself just fine. Two other men landed beside the first man. Iba stared at the beautiful woman with long wavy violet hair and a fire in her cyan blue eyes. Those pretty, but angry eyes darted around, challenging another man to step forward as she tossed her hair behind her.

Iba grabbed her by the waist and moved her out of the way as he kicked another man in the gut that was coming behind her with a switchblade. He quickly released her and picked up the switchblade from him. “That’s very low, coming after a lady like that.”

She raised an eyebrow and dusted her black strapless dress off. “…Thank you.” Her cyan blue eyes appreciatively scanned him before looking back up into his soft green eyes. “Can I buy you a drink to thank you for that?”

His eyes widened a little and he nodded, following her after she beckoned him forward with her finger. She sat at the bar and ordered a bottle of whiskey, pouring them each a small glass.

Iba took the glass from her hand, their fingers brushing lightly. He noticed a black dragon tattoo that wrapped around her wrist to her index finger. It was so elegant, just like she was. He tried to hide his grimace after he took a sip.

Shiori coughed into her fist to hide her laughter at his face. “Is whiskey not to your liking? Order something else, I said I was buying you a drink.” She took a large sip from her glass and refilled it.

He flagged the bartender down and ordered his drink. He reached over to run a fingertip across the tattoo on her hand. “What’s this?”

“This? A reminder to myself.” Her eyes shifted back at him, taking in his beautiful features. God, he ignited something within her that made her want to push him against a wall and have her way with him. “So, this doesn’t seem like your kind of scene, what are you up to?”

Iba chuckled and pulled back his hand, his fingertips slowly brushing against hers. “Just out on a Friday night for fun.” He thanked the bartender as he set a red drink with ice cubes and a cherry on top in front of him. “Thanks for the drink, you didn’t have to…”

“Shiori.” She blurted without thinking. She was stomping her feet and slapping herself internally for giving him her real name instead of one of her aliases. “Just Shiori.”

“Iba Hachirō, Shiori-san.” He took a sip from his red drink and gave her a smile.

Even his name. That smile.

Shaking her head, she pointed to his drink. “What’s that?”

“Love on the rocks.” He grinned and pushed it towards her. “Would you like a taste?”

I’d like a taste of something else. “I suppose…” She took a small sip and her eyes widened at the sweetness of it. “Damn, is there any alcohol in this?”

“One part vodka and two parts peach schnapps.” Chuckling, he plucked the cherry and ate it and placed the stem inside his mouth and closed it. Moments later, he took out the stem that was knotted.

Something flashed in Shiori’s eyes. She gripped her glass and downed the rest of it, pouring herself another and taking a large gulp from it. “Impressive.”

Iba finished his drink and looked over at the dance floor as the next song began. “Would you like to dance?” He held his hand out to her.

Her hand grabbed his without a thought, and they went out to the dance floor, mingling with the other people that were dancing. Even with so many people, they could only see each other. The blue lights were the only source of light that shone on the dancers. They stood less than a foot apart, moving to the music, but with each beat, Shiori drew closer to him until she was pressed against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his hands at her waist, matching the way her body rocked against his. Their foreheads pressed against each other, their lips were only a centimeter apart, their hot breaths mingling, sweet with hard liquor. Their bodies continued to press against each other to the rhythm of the seductive music.

Shiori slid one of her hands down to the top buttons of his black shirt, undoing the first button. “Shall…we go somewhere more private?”

They wound up going back to one of the apartments Shiori had nearby. Once inside, she pressed herself closely to him, pinning him to the back of the door. Cyan looked into soft green, their breaths mingling with each other before their tastes did. Shiori gripped his shirt, impatience flowing through her. She wanted him. Before her hands could rip his shirt open and send buttons flying, his hands gently stilled hers.

“Shouldn’t I take you out first?”

She blinked a few times before raising an eyebrow. “What?” This had never happened to her, when she was out to seduce, it never failed. Why was he questioning the fact that she wanted something with him here and now?

“…I…I usually only do this with someone I love.” He admitted shyly, bringing her hand with the dragon tattoo and kissing it.

“Love?” She scoffed and shook her head. “I don’t believe in love. What you and I feel right now is pure and simple desire, so don’t hit me with that love bullshit.” She hissed, ripping her wrists away. “And you don’t want to give into that?” To her, sex was just a way to show power and sometimes just for physical pleasure. That’s how she got her targets easily and swiftly. It wasn’t anything special to her.

When she looked in his eyes, they seemed…sad? No, it was a different emotion. 

Pity.

Was he pitying her? She had power, money…why would she be pitied by someone?

Her cyan blue eyes glared at him. She would not be pitied. She opened her mouth to snap at him, but his soft lips brushed against her cheek. It had her freezing on the spot, heat rising in her own cheeks.

“Let’s start over.” He spotted a pad of paper on a table near the door and wrote down an address and a time. “Meet me here for some coffee tomorrow.”

Shiori stared down at the paper and glanced up when she felt his fingers tuck a lock behind her ear.

Iba gave her a gentle smile. “I hope to see you there.” His fingertips lingered at her chin as he stared at her pretty features before he exited the apartment.

Her heart skipped a few beats at his smile, her fingers lingering at her cheek where he’d kissed it. What was wrong with her? Why was she reacting like this?

Iba pressed his back to the door, running a hand through his brown hair, scenes of Shiori from earlier playing in his head. What was he doing? He was supposed to have done his job, looking for any traces of the Dragons, and instead he flirted, danced, and almost went home with an extremely beautiful girl. Her scent intoxicated him, her eyes captivated him…He’d never felt such a pull to someone before.

He didn’t want this connection to be a purely physical one, he wanted something more because he could feel something more.

He wanted to see her again.

—

Iba rose from his seat and greeted her with a tender smile. He pulled out the chair for her and sat across from her. “How do you like your coffee?”

“Black. Hot. That’s it.” Her eyes ran over his back as he went to the counter to place their orders as she placed her phone on the table and crossed her legs as her eyes took in her surroundings.

It was a quaint little cafe, wooden floors, brick red walls with paintings of different scenes from nature on the walls. Soft classical music played to fill in the silence.

Iba returned a few moments later with her coffee and his, along with a small paper bag.

The scent of his caramel latte hit her nose, and she wrinkled it a bit. She wasn’t very fond of anything sweet, but he seemed to love the stuff. She almost snorted, thinking back to that drink he had yesterday night, the overly sweet one. 

Iba leaned forward and gave her another perfect smile. “I forgot to ask for your number yesterday.” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “I was afraid you weren’t going to show up.”

Truthfully, she hadn’t planned on coming, but she could still feel his lips press against her cheek long after he was gone. She couldn’t stop staring at the address and time he’d written in elegant handwriting. She’d said “fuck it,” and gotten dressed to meet him. And now here they were, she was sitting across from this ridiculously perfect and attractive man that had rejected her last night. She honestly wasn’t sure what she was expecting in coming here. What the fuck was she doing here? “Mm, I didn’t plan on coming, but I decided to humor you, Iba.” She crossed her arms, peering at him with suspicion in her eyes.

“Do you think you could really fall in love with someone like me?”

“Well, I don’t know,” He put his hands on his cup of coffee. “That’s why we’re on a date. We have a mutual interest in each other, don’t we?”

Shrugging, she sighed and took a sip of her coffee, and she noticed the paper bag sitting between them. “What’s that?”

Chuckling, he dug out a pink macaroon from it and showed it to her. “I have a bit of a sweet tooth. This cafe happens to make the best macaroons around here.”

Shiori’s cheeks reddened when he reached over to feed it to her. “I can feed myself, you know.”

“I know, but humor me a little more, won’t you, Shiori-san? We’re on a date.” His smile brightened when she bit into it.

She didn’t really enjoy sweets, but this one was delicious. Perhaps…if she dared to be so cliche, was it because he fed it to her?

Iba bombarded her with questions, meaningless questions about herself, so she shot them right back at him as they sipped on their coffee. Her favorite food was carbonara spaghetti. Her favorite color was black. Her favorite book was Naked in Death. Her favorite band was Thirty Seconds to Mars. His favorite food was castella. His favorite color was green. His favorite book was the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. His favorite genre of music was classical.

The more they learned about each other, the more drawn to each other they became.

As they exited the cafe, Shiori felt his pinky finger brush against hers before he wrapped it around hers. She flushed and looked over at him, her heart beating faster as he smiled at her.

He took her hand in his after he was sure she wouldn’t pull away and brought it up to his lips, gently brushing them across her knuckles. Shiori quickly glanced at her feet. Why did that simple action seem so much more intimate than anything she’d ever done before?

They walked to a nearby park in a comfortable silence, both just enjoying the other’s presence. When he spoke again, his soft voice tickled her ears and they drew closer to each other until their shoulders were touching.

“I hope I’m not boring you with a simple date.” Iba turned his head to look at her, the way the sunlight illuminated her and the way the breeze played with her violet hair.

“It’s…quite different than the places I normally go to.” She glanced over at him, tucking her hair behind her ear. “And it’s a nice change.” Her usual date spots for business matters included night clubs, high end restaurants, and the occasional five star hotel. He’d been nothing but…wonderful. She wanted to see him again, to learn more about him…

Most importantly, he’d proved her wrong. Maybe there could be something more than just desire.


	2. Shiori's Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anon prompt "You have no idea how much I want you" Iba x Shiori.

It had been a little over seven months since she started seeing Iba. Neither had actually mentioned what they did to earn money. They had mutually agreed to keep work off the table and focus on each other. Shiori was perfectly content with living like this, but recently there was something that had been tugging at her at the back of her mind. She couldn’t come to terms quite yet with her heart, so she had ignored it for the time being.

They sat on the couch, both trying to pay attention to the movie, but Iba’s hand kept sliding lower until it reached the edge of her shirt and he slipped it inside. He drew circles on her skin, causing her breath to hitch. “Iba.” She warned. “Don’t get me going, please.” She growled and grabbed his hand. She’d been waiting patiently for him to admit he was ready to become intimate. She didn’t mind waiting, but if he was going to leave her frustrated, she preferred he kept his hands still. 

Iba captured her lips and climbed over her until her back was against the couch arm rest. He slid his other hand inside her shirt and helped her slip it off. He trailed kisses from her jaw to her shoulder. “And if I plan on following through?”

Shiori slid her own hands under his shirt and helped him take it off. “You have no idea how much I want you right now.”

Iba gathered her in her arms like a bride and gently placed her on his bed and climbed over her, kissing her neck and marking it as she tugged on his hair. “I-Iba…” She already felt so weak-kneed from his kisses alone. She let her hands explore his bare back and his chest.

He paused and kissed her tenderly again. “You can give it to me, you know.”

“Give you what?” She murmured against his lips.

“Your heart. I promise to take care of it and you.” Iba paused his movements as he looked into her eyes. “My heart has been yours, Shiori.” He murmured and kissed her again.

His caresses were so soft. So gentle. So passionate. So…full of… Love.

They were so different to the touches she was used to getting from different people-eager, impatient, and lustful. With him, everything was different. He WAS different.

She wanted to give everything to him. She wanted to be with him because…she loved him too. She could say that now, admit that she loved him. Her hands cupped his cheeks as she gave him a soft kiss. “I will. You can have my heart, Hachirō.” Her lips met his again. “I love you too.” She murmured quietly into his parted lips. She was sure of what her heart felt now.

“I love you, Shiori.” Iba took one of her hands and interlocked their fingers, as his lips continued exploring her body.


	3. Opposite Worlds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt given by @plaidshirtjimkirk. Prompt: IbaShi. "Let's share my coat since you're so cold."

She washed the blood off her hands and grasped the sink as she looked in the mirror. For the first time in her life, she was questioning if this was the life she wanted.

Murdering for the good of the family. Sleeping with the targets for the good of the family.

She didn’t want this anymore, not when she had him.

She wanted to love freely with Iba, without fear that they would discover him and drag him into this hell. Iba was charming, good -looking…he was a good man, the type of person that would stop their date to help an elderly person cross the street. She was the type of person to kill someone for the family as long as it was ordered.

Shiori didn’t want to keep him in the dark anymore and hurt him about who she really was. She didn’t want to taint him with the darkness of her world and the blood on her hands. Perhaps it was best she told him about her identity while he could still walk away.

She had never been gripped by such fear before. A fear of him saying he didn’t want to be with her anymore and leave her behind, but if he did, she knew that he would be safe at least. Maybe it was better if he did leave.

After she’d washed herself, she called for the clean up crew to confirm the kill and take care of the body. Once they’d done their part, she went home after changing into one of Iba’s black hoodies and leggings. She breathed in the his scent that instantly calmed her nerves. She knew she was in too deep, and it would be hard to have him leave, but it would be worth it.

The walk home felt long as she rehearsed what she was going to tell him when she saw him. When she entered her apartment, she spotted his coat was hung up. He was here.

Shiori found him, the face of a sleeping angel. She stared at his face as if it was the last time she’d ever get to look at him. She reached over to caress his face, a lump in her throat building. No one had ever made her feel so vulnerable before, and she didn’t like it. Feeling all this raw emotion for one person was ridiculous. How could she love him so much?

Yet, the more she stared at him, that question was answered. Shiori leaned over to place a kiss on his his forehead. She loved him so much, but that was exactly why she had to tell him the truth.

“Dearest?” His eyes fluttered open, causing her heart to squeeze a bit. He quickly sat p and took her hands in his when he spotted the sadness in her cyan blue eyes.

“I…have something to tell you.” She leaned in to kiss him hard, passionately, as if it was the last time she’d be able to do so.

“What is it, Shiori?” He cupped her cheeks and stared into her cyan blue eyes.

She sucked in a shaky breath. “I…” She tried again after taking a moment to strengthen her resolve. “I’m an assassin for the Dragons.” She shut her eyes. She had so many things to say, but she wasn’t going to force him to listen to her. He didn’t belong with her, in her world. She wasn’t going to drag him into the dark where she was. “I can’t keep lying to you anymore, Hachirō. I’ve wanted out of this life since I met you, but I can’t leave.” She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. She was afraid of opening her eyes and seeing the room empty.

Iba wrapped his arms around her. He didn’t know what to say. He was a man of the law, his job compelled him to bring Shiori in after what she confessed to him.

But he was also Shiori’s boyfriend. He couldn’t turn her in. He knew what Shiori was really like, who she really was. She wasn’t what she claimed to be by choice. She had committed those crimes to survive. He knew it without her having to tell him. The part she played within the Dragons wasn’t who she truly was. He knew her as the woman that loved morning glories, enjoyed mystery books, laughed at his jokes, got flustered when he complimented her and whispered sweet nothings. He knew her as the woman that loved to stay in and order take out while they watched random movies and shows sprawled on the couch together. That was who she really was. That was the person Iba fell in love with. He also had to come clean about who he was as well. “I love you, Shiori. That doesn’t change it.” He murmured and kissed her again.

Silence settled between them as she bit back tears. Iba released her and squeezed her hands. “Shiori,” He stared into those beautiful and glistening eyes. “I also need to be honest with you.” His eyes dropped down to their hands and he gave them another squeeze. “I’m a Detective, tasked to investigate and bring in members of the Dragons.”

Shiori ripped her hands away and took a step back. “What the fuck? Did you know who I really was? Were you…using me?” Had he been lying to her the entire time? This paranoia that the Dragons had cultivated within her, she thought she had gotten past it with him. She thought she could trust him. Why did she let him in? Why was she so vulnerable in front of him? 

“Shiori-” Iba ran a hand through his hair as he watched her run out of the apartment. He could hear thunder and the hard pouring rain. Normally, he’d give her space, but he couldn’t let her go, thinking that he had betrayed her. He grabbed his coat and ran after her into the rain.

Shiori didn’t notice nor cared that the rain was drenching her. She didn’t know where she was going, she just walked out into the dark street that was dimly lit by streetlamps.

Iba caught up to her and gently gripped her arm. “Shiori, listen to me! I would never lie to you!”

What the fuck was she doing? Why couldn’t she walk away? This was the perfect opportunity to push him away from her. She could be done and be alone if she continued walking away.

Her feet didn’t move. She stared at him, bitter tears streaming down her cheeks with the rain. She couldn’t. She couldn’t push him away. No, she didn’t want to push him away.

“Shiori, please.” He begged, loosening his grip on her arm. He wouldn’t stop her if she walked away again.

Shiori remained in place. “What is it?”

“I didn’t know you were…in that group, but I have no intention of using you like that. I would never do that.” Iba moved closer and cupped her cheeks so that they couldn’t hide from each other. “I love you and I would never hurt you like that. I want to protect you too, just like what you’re trying to do right now. You’re trying to protect me.”

Why was she such an open book to him? “Fuck you, Hachirō.” Shiori sighed and crushed her lips to his. “I don’t want to bring you down, we live in such opposite worlds. There’s no place for us here.”

“So we can start over somewhere else. We’ll get you a new identity. We’ll get married, move far away, have a new life as husband and wife and live peacefully.” Iba urged, squeezing her hands. “We’ll do what we have to in order to be together.”

“You’d break laws for me?” She scoffed. “And it won’t bother you?”

“Darling, you mean the world to me, no law can change that.”

Everything he’d said, it sounded so perfect. She could imagine them living in the suburbs anywhere, making morning coffee, kissing him goodbye every morning when she went to work, sleeping in together on days off, going out more frequently without any fear of being caught or found…just living life together, as a…husband and wife.

Her eyes widened as the intensity of his words hit her harder than lightning. “…Did you just fucking propose to me?”

Iba’s cheeks reddened and he coughed. “I-I…Should have planned more accordingly…”

“Fuck that, come here.” Shiori crushed her lips to his again and cupped his cheeks. Even soaked in the rain, his handsomeness only increased. “Fuck everything, let’s do that. Let’s leave it all behind and disappear, Hachirō.”

Iba chuckled and kissed her forehead. “Let’s go home. It’s cold, I can see you shivering. Shall we share my coat?” He playfully pulled her into his arms and wrapped her in his coat, not caring that they were both soaked to the bone.

“Shut up, Babe.” Shiori laughed and snuggled into his chest as they walked home.


	4. Acceptance

Shiori gasped for air and coughed out water as she tried to regain hold of her senses after almost being nearly drowned. She clenched her fists as she glared up at the man she had called her foster father. She gathered herself and the best she could do was support herself while on one knee. “What the fuck do you want from me?! I’ve done everything you’ve wanted!”

The man with graying black hair in an expensive pinstriped suit held his hand out for a folder, and he tossed it down to her, spilling its contents: a passport, birth certificate, an ID all with her picture but a different birth date and name. “Daughter, care to explain what these are? We also found plane tickets under that alias as well, and I certainly haven’t told you to conduct business elsewhere.”

Shiori shut her eyes and sucked in a long breath, still feeling dizzy. She couldn’t tell them about Iba. He had to remain safe. “I want out. I want out of this stupid life you brought me into!”

“I gave you money, power, training, the ability to survive in this world, and this is how you repay our family, your father? I made you who you are!” He snarled, getting down on one knee and pulled on her hair to have their eyes meet. “There is no “out,” Shiori. You either die a Dragon, or you’re killed as a traitor.”

She spat in his face as she shoved his hand off. “No. I’m done with all this shit. I don’t want to be a part of this anymore.” She managed to pull herself up.

“Then you’re going to die a traitor.” He motioned other Dragons forward.

Shiori sucked in a breath as she dove into the water, trying to swim underwater, away from the bullets being shot at her.

—

When he placed his hand on the doorknob, he could feel that something was off. Iba opened the door and flipped the light on, only to find the whole living room in disarray. He ran around the apartment looking for any sign of Shiori, but he it didn’t seem like she was there. He took out his phone and started calling her. His call went to voice mail the first and hundredth time he called her. He let his hand fall to her side as fear squeezed his heart. He knew something had happened to her. He ran out of the station to search for her.

Thirty sleepless hours later, his search had proved fruitless. Not a trace a Shiori could be found. Iba sat at his desk, head in his hands, feeling completely defeated. He didn’t know who else to turn to or trust.

He continued his search during the next week, but it hadn’t yielded any results. He continued to call her phone and filled her voice mail box with messages. When he arrived at his desk for the eighth day in a row, Nagakura intercepted him and showed him a case that had come across his desk. The victim of the supposed suicidal drowning matched Shiori’s description.

He rushed out of the station after Nagakura assured him he’d handle the matter and talk to the Chief for him. After buying a bottle of Shiori’s favorite whiskey, he drank and drank until he was numb and slipped into sleep.

There was a part of him that didn’t believe that file. It had only been descriptions. No pictures or anything else had been provided. A very, very small part of him dared to hope that Shiori was still alive somewhere.

But for now, he had to face the reality of the possibility that he wouldn’t see Shiori again.


	5. Addicted

Shiori groaned as her eyes flew opened and she balled her hands into fists, as she gasped for air. “Hachirō!” Her hands flew to her thighs, grabbing empty air, her gun nowhere in sight. She froze when she heard a gun cock.

“One more move and I’ll pull the trigger.” A smooth but playful voice warned her.

“What a way to treat a patient.” She mumbled and put her hands up. Her whole body pulsed with pain. She must’ve gotten shot while she was making her escape. “Who the hell are you?”

The man circled around in front, a sadistic smirk crossing his lips. Jade green eyes bore into her angry cyan blue eyes. “I should be asking that.”

“Okita-kun,” A soft chuckle caused the pair turn to a man with a gray suit and glasses. “Do not aggravate our patient. We haven’t heard who she truly is.”

The man named Okita lowered his gun, but his eyes remained fixated on her after he shot the man at the door a glance.

“Where the hell am I? Who are you?” Shiori’s eyes darted around the room, well-furnished, no windows…was she being kept prisoner here?

“Come, we’ve been waiting for you to explain yourself.”

Shiori stood in front of a group of men seated at a large table. She still felt so disoriented.

“Speak.” The one with black hair and sharp violet eyes ordered. “What the hell was a group of Dragons doing on our side?”

“I was trying to leave them. You know the code in a family. Die as a Dragon or die as a traitor.” She glared around the table. “But where the hell am I?”

“Shinsengumi territory. It doesn’t bode well for you, as a Dragon.” The man from earlier spoke calmly but coldly as he sipped on a cup of tea. “I suggest you tell us what that was about then and what your plans are.”

Shiori sucked in a breath and winced, made aware of her wounds. “…I’m the former Dragon Princess, Assassin, Kaneko Shiori. I’m sure you’ve heard of me. Like I said, I wanted to skip town, settle down somewhere away from all this shit and live my life peacefully…with someone.” She closed her eyes, pushing memories away. “But they found me out and tried to have me killed. They water-boarded me for information, but they didn’t get shit from me. Tried to put a bullet in me, and I guess I escaped.”

“I pulled you out.” A red-haired man spoke. “I was patrolling the area because one of ours spotted a large group of Dragons near our border. Saw the whole thing.”

“So, what do you want now? To run away with a lover?” The man with violet eyes sighed.

Shiori pursed her lips. “…I want to kill all of those bastards. Be free from them once and for all.” She stared back into violet. “Since I’m in Shinsengumi territory, were I the only Dragon of importance left…I would relinquish all control of the territory to you. Everything. Businesses, warehouses, anything, all in exchange for some help in taking out our main players. I know everything about the Dragons, where to hit, how.” 

The man with glasses looked at the man with violet eyes before they turned to look at her.

“Ne, it’s all to convenient, isn’t it?”

Her cyan eyes glared at Okita. “I know how we, they, work.”

“I say she proves herself how serious she is about this.” Okita spoke, admiring his gun before he twirled it and looked at her.

“What do I need to do to prove myself?” She clenched her hand into a tight fist.

Okita smirked, his jade green eyes boring right into hers. “Two things. Give us the name of your lover, and we take you on a test run to see if you’re serious about this, and I’ll be going with you, Hijikata-san? Sannan-san?”

“Souji!” The man with violet eyes stood up, she assumed he was one of their leaders.

“We need collateral in case she’s trying to play us, Hijikata-san.” Okita crossed his arms shifted his eyes to the man wearing glasses.

“Okita-kun is correct. I believe those are agreeable terms, Kaneko-kun, don’t you think so? We promise no harm shall come to your loved one as long as you’re keeping up your end, do we have a deal?”

—

A knock at the door sounded before it opened. “Nagakura?!” Shiori sat up in bed, wincing at they way her wounds stung as she did so.

“Hey…Mind if I come in and talk?”

She shrugged and motioned to a chair. She was their prisoner, she didn’t really have a say here. “What the hell’re you doing here?”

“I’m part of the Shinsengumi before I’m a cop.” He ran a hand through his reddish-brown hair before and let out a little breath. “Hachirō’s been looking for you, desperately.”

Her heart squeezed at the mention of him. “How is he?”

“Not very good. He took some days off after you disappeared, found him in his house, hungover. Then he took off. I followed him one day and he’s hitting up big Dragon spots, looking for you, and making reckless busts. He doesn’t believe what they tell him.” Nagakura crossed his arms in thought. “He’s going to get himself killed at this rate.”

“Don’t let him die.” Shiori’s voice dropped to whisper, begging. “Please. Do anything to keep him alive.”

“Are you going to tell him anything?”

Hesitating, Shiori clutched the bed sheets as she shook her head. “I can’t…I need to go through with this first. I’m going back to him once I’m free, but please, watch over him.” She couldn’t believe she was stooping so low, but Iba was worth it. IF this is what it took to be with him, then she’d gladly put herself through hell for him. 

Nagakura stood up and nodded. “I promise.”

—

“Where is she?” Iba’s voice was colder and sharper than a blade, as he leaned over the table, staring at the man he’d brought in for illegal arms possession. He’d been doing this for weeks, bringing in Dragons and interrogating him, squeezing them dry of information about Shiori, but they had the same answer: that she’d drowned. He refused to believe that.

The man went on to describe the day Shiori disappeared, since he he had been there. “She just jumped right in as we shot at her. She couldn’t have made it out!”

Iba kicked the table aside in frustration and ran a hand through his hair, leaving the room with the new information, turning it over and over in his mind. She couldn’t be dead, she was too resilient, too stubborn…she couldn’t have left him. She couldn’t have…died.

Yet, that’s what everything pointed to. He’d never be able to hold her in his arms again, to pepper her with kisses, to caress her and tease her when she was trying to resist his charms. He wouldn’t be able to spend the rest of their lives together, to spend quiet mornings in bed together, nor spend their nights in watching movies and shows as they ate take-out…he wouldn’t be able to tell her how much he loved her.

His feet led him to the rooftop to the railing. He clutched the railing, as he bowed his head, letting his tears flow freely. He just couldn’t believe, accept, that she was gone.

–

“Na, Hachirō,” Nagakura patted his shoulder. “Don’tcha think you should go home? I haven’t seen you leave the station in a week.”

“Thank you for your concern, Nagakura-san…but I am fine. I have a large case load.” He raised his head and rubbed his sleepless eyes. He hadn’t been able to set foot into the apartment he’d shared with Shiori. He couldn’t do it yet. He wasn’t strong to face it yet.

“Hachirō, you wanna go out for a drink? You can crash at my place.”

Iba exhaled and looked up at his worried friend. Perhaps it wasn’t a bad idea. He could use the company. “That sounds…good, Nagakura-san.”

—

One year later.

Iba stared at the bouquet of morning glories he’d bought to replace the ones that were wilting in his apartment. Sighing, he unlocked the door and put his three bags of groceries down before he looked over at the purple vase he had by the window and dropped them. His soft green eyes widened as his whole body froze.

Cyan blue eyes stared into his from across the room, and he wondered, if he’d never woken up. The only way he could see her so clearly, so vividly was in his dreams or his memories. He had to be dreaming. It wasn’t possible.

Iba’s legs finally responded and he ran over to her, not caring if it was a dream. If it was, he was going to make the most out of it by holding her and looking into her eyes.

Neither of them spoke, but their hands found their way to each other. He wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her in close, and she cupped his cheeks, their eyes never leaving each other. After a few moments, their mouths finally connected as their hands became busy trying to free each other of their clothes.

Shiori pressed him against a wall as her lips moved quickly against his, desperately, as if trying to make up for lost time. Her suppressed feelings finally bubbled to the surface and exploded. She’d been holding in how much she missed him while she was away. She forgot how addicted she was to this bittersweet flavor that their love was, is. She was addicted to him, to the way his sweet voice called her name, and to the way his body responded to her caresses, her mouth. She forgot how addicted she was to the way he made her body writhe and twitch with pleasure underneath and over him. The thing she was most addicted to was his love, the way he conveyed it with his mere fingertips that caressed her hand or cheeks made her heart race.

She had forgotten the feeling of his slender fingers weaving into her violet hair. Forgotten the way his velvety whisper made her weak at the knees. She’d forgotten how much she could love someone.

He was everything to her, as she was to him. He allowed her to be herself without a mask. He was her flower in this bed of thorns she lived in. The key to her shackles. An antidote in the poisonous world she’d lived in. He was both a soothing presence and a presence that could easily unravel her emotionally and physically in mere moments. 

She felt like she was home again.


	6. Bliss

His soft green eyes couldn’t get enough of looking at her face, at the curve of her face, her nose, her lashes, her cheeks, her forehead. He couldn’t close his eyes for fear that she would just vanish from his arms like she had when he woke up. His long, slender fingers lightly caressed her cheek as his lips softly peppered kisses along her forehead, cheeks, jaw and shoulders. He kissed the new bullet wound scars on her shoulder. Those scars were the only thing that kept him believing that this wasn’t a dream. She didn’t have those before. Iba nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, lightly taking in her scent…she still smelled of morning glories.

He never stopped mourning her, but he had been able to return to some kind of normalcy many months after he’d come to terms with her death. He had always kept morning glories in his apartment to have a small piece of her with him. He thought he’d have to let go of her completely someday, but he didn’t know if he could’ve.

Shiori’s eyes fluttered open when she felt her neck grow wet. “Babe,”

“Call my name, Shiori.” Iba murmured softly.

“Hachirō,” She called softly, weaving her fingers in his brown hair. “Are you crying again? Did you even sleep?”

He lightly shook his head, continuing to bury his face into her neck. “I couldn’t. What if this is a dream…and I wake up to an empty bed again? What if I wake up and you’re not here?”

“I’m so…sorry, Hachirō, for all this shit I put you through.” She kissed his cheek and pressed herself closer, but she still felt it wasn’t enough. She could never make up for all the pain she put him through, all the grief, the mourning…everything he faced alone while she went with Okita to kill off the Dragons to finally be able to show her face to him again.

“No…It’s okay, you’re here…I think…” He lifted his head, his eyes still full of tears. “I love you so much, Darling.” 

Shiori crushed her lips to his and rolled on top of him, softly kissing along his jaw. “I’ll do anything to make it up to you, ‘Ro. Just tell me what you want.” She could feel his hot breaths against her skin, making her shiver in pleasure.

“…Don’t ever leave me again, Darling. That’s all I could ever ask of you.” His hand cupped her cheek as he looked up at her as his eyes softened. “I love you, Shiori. I love you.” He murmured against her lips.

“I love you too.” Shiori’s heart fluttered. She’d never be able to get enough of him and his love. Sighing, she sat up, still straddling him.“I won’t ever leave you, Hachirō. I’m done with all that shit. I took care of it.”

Iba’s brows furrowed, and as he sat up the sheets slid off of them. “What do you mean, Shiori?”

She shut her eyes. “I know. I know what your job is. I know, I know what I did was wrong, but I didn’t have any other choice if I wanted to come back to you. They caught me when we were trying to get away the first time, and I knew they’d never stop until they saw me dead, ‘Ro. You and and me. We’d never be able to be together.”

“Are…did you…kill them?”

“I know you don’t agree with it, what I used to do, but I swear to you, Hachirō,” Shiori’s cyan blue eyes finally met his. “I’m never going back to that. I helped the Shinsengumi take over the city. They’re running things now, the Dragons are history.”

Iba’s eyes flickered away before he closed them for a moment. He couldn’t care anymore. It had been those same people that had ripped her away from him, and she’d gotten rid of them now. They wouldn’t be coming back for her, for them. “Shiori, dearest, I…don’t care. I sound like a terrible person, but whatever you had to do, it’s in the past now. I want us,” He brushed their noses together. “to think and face only our bright future.”

She brushed her lips against his. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. A future with you.” She rolled off of him and snuggled into his arms. “Now, get some sleep. Your eyes are all red.”

Iba chuckled and buried his face into her soft violet locks. “Very well. You’ve convinced me.”

Shiori watched him slip into a peaceful sleep, and she stared at his face this time. How she’d missed his soft green eyes, his handsome face, the way he made her feel loved. There was no way she was going to let anyone or anything get in their way ever again. She stared at him for a little while before she closed her own eyes and fell asleep.

–

Shiori buried her face into his back and he chuckled lightly as he washed their dishes. “I’m not leaving your side, ‘Ro.”

“You’ll hear no complaints from me, Dearest.” He hummed as he scrubbed the plates clean.

“Even if you had them, I wouldn’t let go.” Shiori stuck her tongue out at him and sighed when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it.” She hesitantly peeled herself away from him to answer the door. “Nagakura?!”

“Yo, love birds? Mind lettin’ me in for a moment?” He waved to Iba when he came to the door as Nagakura stepped inside.

“What’re you doing here?” Shiori raised an eyebrow and looked back at Iba.

Nagakura handed her a manila folder and motioned for her to open it. She spilled the contents onto the counter nearby and she looked back at him. A passport, an ID, a birth certificate and even a marriage certificate with her new name, Iba Shiori.

“Nagakura-san! I didn’t have a chance to propose to her properly!” Iba sighed and cracked a small smile, seeing Shiori’s face light up while she continued looking at the falsified documents.

“’Ro, my name…it looks better with your last name.” Iba’s cheeks flushed at her comment, and he nodded, he couldn’t agree with it more. She looked back at Nagakura. “But why…?”

“We wanted to give you a small thank you, since now we’re in charge of this turf. We’re gonna clean things up, get rid of the remaining Dragons on our own. You’re free, Kaneko.”

—

Six years later.

“Shiori~,” Iba mumbled sleepily as he pulled her into his arms, and she sighed contently, her lashes fluttering open as her nose brushed against his.

“Yeah, Babe?” She rolled on top of him and kissed him.

“You’re off today, right? Or does the magazine need you?” He kissed her forehead and slipped a hand under her shirt.

“Fuck ‘em, I did my part. What about you? Lots of cases? Are you going into the office today?” Shiori slipped her own hands under his his shirt.

After the couple had moved away and gotten married, Iba went back to school to become a lawyer, and Shiori went on to become a magazine editor. They had formed new lives together just as they had envisioned. “Nothing pressing, Dearest. They can wait until Monday.” Iba let out a small gasp as he felt her hands go lower.

“Mama! Papa!”

Shiori immediately rolled off of him before their door opened and their four-year old son jumped into their bed. “Haruto, isn’t it a bit early for you to be awake on a Saturday?”

Iba chuckled and pulled their son underneath the sheets with them and tickled his tummy. “He’s just excited about the picnic we’re going on today, right, Haruto?”

“A picnic?!” His cyan blue eyes widened as he sat up excitedly. “Really!?” The young boy resembled his father more and more with each day that passed.

Shiori ruffled his brown hair and kissed his cheek. “Guess we’re goin’ on a picnic then. Go get your toys ready. Papa and I will pack the bento.”

“Yes, Mama!” He kissed her cheek and bounced off the bed, running out of their room.

“I think Haruto needs a sister, Dearest.” Iba nudged her and chuckled when she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, I think so too, Babe. It’d be nice to have a girl too.”

“She’d be beautiful as her mother.”

“Nah, beautiful like her father.” Shiori laughed when Iba pulled her into his arms. “Hachirō, I couldn’t be happier.” She’d forgotten her old life, left it all behind, and she couldn’t have been happier with the decision. The struggles they’d faced were forgotten, and were replaced by happy and blissful memories of their family. Every day, she was wrapped up in so much love, she didn’t know what to do with it. Her son and her husband were her whole world now, her future.

Iba brushed his lips against hers. “I love you, Darling.”

“I love you more, ‘Ro.”


End file.
